Performance car fans have been waiting to see it for months and finally the first images of the Subaru BRZ Concept have been released before its world premiere at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show on November 16.

In STI-badged concept form these images show a concept vehicle which has much of the styling predicted for the upcoming BRZ coupe. Both the BRZ and its development brother the Toyota FT-86 will be shown in production form at the Tokyo Motor Show next month.

Subaru isn’t saying much about specifications but has stated that the BRZ will have a very low centre of gravity and be a “pure handling delight.” The naturally aspirated 2.0-litre flat-four engine is expected to produce over 150kW and be linked to a 6-speed manual gearbox, and possibly, a 6-speed automatic transmission driving the rear wheels. Continue reading “Subaru reveals BRZ STI Concept Coupe” »

The joint development of a lightweight sports coupe between Subaru and Toyota has provided much rumour and speculation. While Toyota has shown its hand at every opportunity with its FT-86 concepts, much little is known about Subaru’s mysterious BRZ. But with both cars set for world premiers at next month’s Tokyo Motor Show, interest has reached fever pitch.

Up until now, Toyota has tantalized us with three versions of its RWD coupe, while Subaru has revealing only a transparent concept in Geneva and Frankfurt with very little details.

Subaru is going big and has announced plans to build and release four new models over the next five years. The biggest launch will be the much-anticipated sports coupe that’s in development in conjunction with Toyota. A new hybrid model is also expected.

Subaru has also revealed what it calls the ‘Motion-V plan’, which aims to generate global sales of 900,000 units per year by 2016. This will be a huge increase on the 633,000 sales the Japanese company has forecast for the current fiscal year.

Subaru’s new range will be lead out in the second quarter of 2012 with the global launch of the as-yet unnamed sports coupe, that’s nicknamed the Toyobaru. Toyota has released images and more details for its own ‘FT-86′ version of the vehicle, while Subaru has revealed very few details or photos of its concept. Continue reading “Subaru plans to release four new models by 2016” »

To keep Toyota/Subaru fans interested new information has been released on the upcoming FT-86 sports coupe a.k.a Toyoburu.

Toyota has confirmed that its rear-driving affordable sports car will go on sale next year and will be powered by Subaru’s latest 2.0-litre 4-cylinder boxer engine fitted with Toyota’s D-4S technology. It’s a real team effort here and Toyota’s D-4S tech consists of direct injection combined with port injection for more power.

Unfortunately output figures still haven’t been released, stopping us armchair critics from judging the FT-86 before it even reaches production. But Toyota is amping everyone up by claiming that its D4-S technology “results in increased horsepower and torque without sacrificing fuel consumption and environmental performance.”

The engine itself will come from Subaru’s with an improved 2.0-liter horizontally opposed gas motor, in its current Impreza guise this motor only puts out 110kW and 197 Nm of torque, but in the case of the FT-86, output is expected to be bumped up significantly. The real tragedy here is that the FT-86 won’t be turbocharged, not at first, anyway.

For changing gears the FT-86 will be offered with either a six-speed manual gearbox or a six-speed automatic transmission. “The manual will offer quick and precise shifts with a short-throw, while the automatic transmission will feature sporty shifts controlled by steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifts,” said Toyota. Continue reading “Toyota announces powertrain details for FT-86” »

There is little doubt that the FT-86 sports car is the most exciting new model to wear a Toyota badge in nearly ten years. But there has been doubts on when and if the FT-86 will enter production. Those concerns have been addressed in a recent article by a Japanese newspaper which revealed that the FT-86 will make its debut later this year, along with its jointly developed Subaru twin.

Developed in a unique partnership between Toyota and Subaru, the upcoming FT-86 sports car won over audiences and gathered much interest in concept form at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show, but its road to production has been broken up by uncertainty and a ‘on-and-off-and-on-again’ battle.

Speaking with the Japanese paper, Fuji Heavy Industries President, Mori Ikuo, reportedly confirmed that both models are nearing the end of testing.

Ikuo claimed that the production FT-86 (which some reports suggest may be called ‘FR-S’ in Toyota form) will be “very comfortable and fuel-efficient”, benefiting from a low centre of gravity for proper sports-car handling.

Exact technical details haven’t been announced, although it is known that both models will be powered by a Subaru-developed 2.0 litre turbo-charged boxer engine. The Toyota version will be a rear-wheel driver while Subaru’s model is likely to receive an AWD system. Some reports claim power figures in the region of 200kW.

Speculation has entered the motoring world as an anonymous Japanese source has tipped there may be a four-door version of the Toyota FT-86 in the works. While details are scarce its reported the sedan will be virtually identical to the coupe. This will mean we can expect a naturally powerful 2.0-litre boxer engine aligned with a six-speed manual transmission and ADVICS brakes.

Expanding the FT-86’s base to include two more doors would expand the potential market for the car, though its rear-wheel drive system will work against it in that regard, as the trends suggest consumers of low-to-mid-range vehicles tend to look for front-wheel drive vehicles.

The source also speculates a 3.6 litre H-6 engine from the Subaru Outback could be dropped in. However you couldn’t imagine there being any room for this. If that were to go ahead, the car would be more like an entry level luxury car, as the pricing and performance would easily surpass the reach of the typical mass market sedan.

Recent reports are stating that the Subaru version of the upcoming Toyota FT-86 (aka Toyoburu) will sit on a revised Legacy platform with an Impreza rear suspension. This isn’t a bad option at all and it means the car should have a chassis that isn’t too soft when the roads get windy.

Under the bonnet on the Toyota FT-86 will be a hard-revving naturally aspirated 2.0-litre boxer engine with around 149 kW of power, the Subaru model is instead expected to use an updated 2.0-litre turbo with 194 kW. Both models will use the six-speed manual box from the Impreza, but an automatic transmission will most likely be on offer as well. Strangely for Subaru, all-wheel drive doesn’t seem to be included in the initial package.

Styling won’t differ from the Toyota FT-86 very much, as all body panels will be shared, but the Subaru version will feature a unique grille, modified bumpers, and unique wheels.

Expect to see this much anticipated ride on our streets sometime in 2013.

Contrary to recent rumours, Toyota’s eagerly anticipated FT-86 is still scheduled for a 2011 launch. Toyota recently held at press event in Japan in order to get some things straight about its Toyota G’s performance vehicles. Naturally, there were many questions about the FT-86 (or FR-S). Although it was reported a few months ago that the sports coupe would be delayed until 2013 for design and powerplant reasons, now it’s back on schedule with a release date of November 2011.

Clarity on the lineup was offered as well, there will be three spec levels with at least two engine options, and the mid-range model is expected to cost around 2.5 million yen ($39,550 NZ). The top dog model will be a turbocharged variant which will add appeal to drifters and tuners. Apparently, there will be no hybrid drivetrains — that tech is being reserved for a different sporty product.